This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to a connector for receiving an electrical plug.
Generally, an electrical connector typically includes some form of dielectric housing which mounts a plurality of conductive terminals. The terminals may be adapted for terminating a plurality of electrical conductors, or the connector may be adapted for mounting on a printed circuit board with the terminals having tail portions for connection to appropriate circuit traces on the circuit board. Of course, there is a wide variety of other types of electrical terminations with which electrical connectors are employed. An electrical connector typically is designed for mating with a complementary second connector or other mating connecting device, whereby the terminals of the respective connectors interengage for establishing electrical connections through the connector interface.
One type of electrical connector is a receptacle connector designed for receiving an electrical plug. Some receptacle connectors are in the form of power jacks and audio or data signal jacks which often are mounted on printed circuit boards for use in a variety of electronic equipment such as telecommunications equipment, computers and the like. Such receptacle connectors or jacks are used in cellular telephones, car phones, battery chargers, television equipment and a variety of other applications. Such receptacle connectors or jacks include one or more plug-insertion cavities for receiving electrical plugs in an insertion direction.
One of the problems with the use of receptacle connectors, such as power jacks and audio or data signal jacks, is that the terminals within the plug-insertion cavities are prone to being damaged by individuals inserting foreign objects into the connector cavity and deforming the terminals therein. A simple solution might be to remove substantial portions of the terminals away from the cavities so that they are not in line to be deformed by foreign objects inserted into the cavity. However, with the ever-increasing miniaturization of such electronic equipment, such an approach is difficult while still providing sufficient resiliency or spring action for the terminals in their engagement with the inserted electrical plug. The present invention is directed to solving these various problems by providing a receptacle connector with terminals of a unique design which provides for adequate contact resiliency yet not being prone to damage by foreign objects.
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector of the character described, for receiving an electrical plug.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the connector includes a dielectric housing having a plug-insertion cavity for receiving the electrical plug in an insertion direction. At least one conductive terminal is mounted on the housing and includes a body portion for fixing the terminal in the housing. A spring contact arm of the terminal extends from the body portion toward the plug-insertion cavity. A contact portion of the spring arm is exposed in the cavity for engaging the electrical plug. The spring contact arm extends generally transversely of the insertion direction, whereby the contact portion is yieldably movable generally perpendicular to the insertion direction. The spring contact arm is bowed outwardly of the plug insertion cavity near the periphery thereof, whereby only the contact portion is exposed in the cavity.
As disclosed herein, the contact portion of the terminal is convex to present a rounded contact surface exposed in the cavity for engaging the electrical plug. The housing includes a mounting slot for receiving the body portion of the terminal in a direction generally transversely of the insertion direction. Preferably, the plug-insertion cavity is elongated, and a plurality of the terminals are spaced longitudinally of the cavity.
According to one aspect of the invention, each terminal is stamped and formed of conductive sheet metal material. The body portion of the terminal is generally planar. The spring contact arm of the terminal has front and rear edges spaced relative to each other in the insertion direction, with the edges being chamfered.
According to another aspect of the invention, a contact section of the terminal is generally U-shaped to form a pair of legs. One of the legs defines the body portion of the terminal. The other leg defines the spring contact arm of the terminal.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the connector housing is adapted for mounting on a printed circuit board. The terminal(s) includes a terminating tail portion extending exteriorly of the housing for engaging an appropriate circuit trace on the printed circuit board.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.